The system is very simple and works in such a way that both the advertiser and the page on which the ads are placed profit from it. The advertiser gets access to a huge number of potential customers, while the partner website earns money by providing advertising space – depending on business decisions and design, it can be a small panel (or panels) or large frames obscuring the content of the page.

Importantly, banners on Google Display Network can only be displayed to specific people thanks to targeting and remarketing. This means that a given user will receive a different message (a different banner will be displayed) than the other person entering the portal, based on their previous behavior on the Web, the history of entered search terms and websites visited. This guarantees a better match, and thus – campaign results than in the case of static banners displayed in the same form to all Internet users visiting a given portal.

However, even perfect use of the targeting possibilities offered by Google Display Network will not be sufficient if the displayed Google Ads banners are not well designed and visually attractive. After all, their task is to encourage recipients to click. The right banner design has a huge impact on the effectiveness of the campaign and achieving a high CTR (click through rate).

Google’s guidelines for banner attributes are simple and fairly straightforward. The advertisement must refer directly to the offer being promoted (without “smuggling” other companies or products), and it must not:
– contain low-quality images (too heavily compressed or unreadable for other reasons);
– mislead the user (contain false information, e.g. warnings about an imaginary virus to increase click-through rates);
– promote pornographic or erotic content (the Internet is also used by minors).

You can see the dimensions of the banners in Google Display Network in a separate article on our blog.

How to design Google Ads banners?

There is no universal way to create a banner that will guarantee excellent campaign results. However, when designing, you can take into account good design practices, thanks to which banners will have a very good chance of achieving the desired CTR.

Google Ads banners typically consist of:
– product photos (packshot) and / or photos illustrating the offer (from a dedicated photo session or from the stock portal);
– brand logo;
– optional advertising slogan;
– call to action (CTA).

Packshot photo

The packshot photo focuses on the product. Making a good packshot is not easy – you need to take into account, among others:
– Perspective – the product must be presented in such a way as to present it – as far as possible – in all its glory, and at the same time at the right angle that will emphasize its advantages and most important functions. When promoting, for example, a stroller for a child, it is better to show it not directly from the front, but slightly at an angle, thanks to which, apart from the seat, we will also show other elements – handles for the parent or rear wheels.
– Background – as a rule, a packshot photo has no background, which of course does not mean that the banner cannot be “applied” to the selected background. The process of removing the background from the original photo is called scratching, and it is quite important – poorly done, ie leaving fragments of the “old” version at the edges, will reduce the visual quality of the packshot. Some companies also choose to include a shadow cast by the product on their packshots – this is one option to consider.
– Lighting – products present differently depending on the intensity of light – the same plastic housing can look low or high quality. Poorly selected lighting will highlight the flaws of the product, harming sales. Of course, a lot can be “fixed” with post-production, but it takes time, costs and the involvement of a retoucher.

Illustrative photo

An image that shows the context of our offer in a more or less obvious way. A travel agency may decide to visualize a paradise beach or a luxurious spa center, and the rally track will probably present a dynamic visualization of a speeding car. How many companies and industries, so many possibilities.

In the case of, for example, expert services or recruitment offers, it is worth using a real photo of a person working in the advertised company, best dealing with a given topic – it builds credibility and a professional image. Another option is to use an external photo of a person who inspires confidence and encourages you to click.

Images from the stock photo (stock) can be downloaded from paid sites, such as Adobe Stock or Shutterstock. However, there are many portals with a huge number of free images available – Pexels, Pixabay, Unsplash and a few more. The graphics can be freely edited (if the license allows it) and adjusted to our own needs.

Brand logo

If the size of the banner allows it, it’s a good idea to put your brand logo on it. The display of the logo builds recognition, and in the case of premium brands it significantly increases the CTR. However, it is worth remembering that the logo should usually be just one of the elements, not the central, dominant point of the banner. There is also no need to force it if it would disrupt the entire composition or violate the protective field described in the visual identity of the brand.

Call to action (CTA)

The banner presents the offer in a visually attractive form, but the CTA is the factor that “finalizes” the click. A call to action is a text that encourages you to take an action, which should be as short and simple as possible on the one hand, and explaining on the other what benefits the user will receive after completing the conversion. The most popular phrases in CTA are, for example, “buy now” (sales offer), “download a free guide” (encouragement to read) or “join us” (job advertisement) – but you can get a little more creative, depending on your what we offer and how we want to communicate it.

The text, however, is not the only element – the CTA should usually be separated from the rest of the banner, e.g. placed on a background of a different color than the rest of the creative.

The most common mistakes when creating Google Ads banners

– Excess– it often happens that advertisers want to present their offer in an extensive form and list all the advantages of a given product or service or put several photos. The time for that will come after clicking, when the customer will go to the landing page. The purpose of the banner is to encourage conversion by presenting the strongest point (or possibly the points) in an abbreviated form. In the vast majority of cases, less is more, and the empty space (the so-called whitespace) is an integral part of a well-designed banner.
– Ignoring visual identification – consistency is one of the keys to creating a recognizable, reliable brand. If a given brand has been using a specific color combination for years, you can – if the brand book allows it – make subtle modifications, but a complete change of the color palette, in isolation from the developed identification, will cause dissonance in the customer. This does not mean that the campaign will fail, but it is a short-term action that may prove harmful in the long run.
– Clickbait – the content placed on the banner – both graphic and text – must be related to the offer. The Google Display Network system will not allow the advertisement to be clearly incompatible with its message, but the devil is in the details. A clique-oriented campaign, in which you unethically “overdo” the presentation of the offer in relation to its real value, will probably have an excellent CTR, but in the end the customer will not make many final conversions, and will also become alienated from the brand.

Call To Action – what is it?

“Check the offer”, “subscribe”, “buy now”, or even “read” used above – what do these expressions have in common? They can all be classified as calls to action, or call to action. These are the key elements of any advertising or promotional campaign. Currently, they are mainly associated with the content presented on the Internet, but they have also been used for years in traditional advertising. Typically, the CTA is designed to guide the user to wherever you want him to go. In the web, it usually takes the form of a button or other active link that directs to the appropriate tab, landing page or store. It sounds like a small matter, but in your CTA marketing efforts, it can make a huge difference. Therefore, it is an obligatory element of every campaign, website or mailing advertisement.

Why is CTA so important?

You might be wondering how it is possible for a simple thing like a call to action to get results. However, experience shows unequivocally that indicating the user what exactly to do creates a much greater chance for him to take action. A CTA can be seen as a signpost that shows exactly where to go and guides the customer along the shopping path. It is this element that often leads to conversion, which is one of the favorite concepts of marketers, meaning the achievement of a specific goal (most often making a purchase, but also e.g. subscribing to a newsletter or submitting an inquiry).

Even if you think that the website is clearly designed and there is simply no chance of getting lost, don’t give up on the CTA. They should appear at every stage of the customer journey to conversion. It is worth choosing them carefully. For example, after adding a product to the cart, you can encourage the user to place an order or continue shopping. The basket itself should also contain clear signposts regarding the transition to the next stages of implementation. They help you avoid confusion and avoid frustrated potential customers leaving your website before converting. It is also worth using CTA to direct internet users to your website – by placing them, for example, in posts on social media or in meta tags. If you haven’t used them before, you’ll definitely notice the difference when you change your strategy!

Why is it worth using Call To Action? In short – because it pays off. Importantly, applying calls to action doesn’t have to be difficult. It is enough to learn a few simple rules that will help to skillfully create them and place them in the right places so that they bring the expected results.

Where to use CTA?

As mentioned, CTA most often takes the form of a button or link. Use a call to action wherever you want to trigger a specific action. It most often appears on websites and in e-mail campaigns. However, it is also worth using them in posts on social media or in the meta description of the page. Call To Action goals may vary. For example:

– getting acquainted with the offer or the price list,
– product purchase,
– subscribing to the newsletter,
– signing up for a course, webinar, etc.,
– file download,
– submitting an inquiry,
– contact with the company,
– filling in a form or questionnaire, etc.

It is not worth counting on the fact that users – without specific encouragement – will understand the intentions of the website creators and meet their expectations. That is why Call To Action is used, which accurately shows the direction of actions and allows you to make a decision automatically. The call-to-action power is quite a lot!

How do you create call to action that work?

Creating a call to action alone is not difficult. However, it is important to use the CTA wisely! Equally important, remember that not all text will always work the same. Therefore, there is no one-size-fits-all recipe for effective calls to action. The content should always be relevant to the target audience. It is also worth checking their operation, comparing them with other possibilities, in order to choose the best solution. At the outset, however, it is good to know the principles of creating Call To Action, which are primarily effective. What are the rules?

A. Keep your message simple
The best Call To Action are very simple. Some, however, tend to complicate the matter unnecessarily. The wording used as a call for action must be understandable and unambiguous – they should not create any doubts as to what they refer to. Therefore, the button for adding a product to the cart should simply be called “Add to cart”. Then you can encourage the customer to “checkout” or “checkout”. Importantly, in some cases CTA uses 1 person singular, and this can be very beneficial. In the above example, for example, buttons with the words “buy”, and then “pay” or “order” could be used. Extremely simple, and at the same time clear – that is exactly what a CTA should be.

B. Bet on specifics
The enigmatic “move on” or “click” button may not look bad at first glance. For some, it will probably even be intriguing. Usually, however, such CTAs are not effective enough. Increasingly, they also fail to inspire confidence. It is best to inform the user immediately what awaits him after clicking the button. Therefore, you should not be afraid of phrases such as “sign up” or “go to payment”. They are much more understandable and lead to a higher conversion rate.

C. Don’t mention the tasks to be done
Many users are reluctant to move on when receiving a message that suggests a task or strenuous work to be done. An example would be the phrase “fill in the questionnaire” – simple and clear, that’s for sure, but is it encouraging? Who wants to waste their precious time filling out some surveys? However, “take part in the study” sounds much more interesting. It is similar with the sometimes used “provide payment information” – it is associated with some difficult task. Meanwhile, “pay” is not only simpler and shorter, but also does not suggest any need for work. Taking care to simplify the purchasing process as much as possible is very important and allows you to significantly increase the conversion. However, CTAs should also not be forgotten, which can destroy all the effort put into building a simple and friendly website if used inappropriately.

D. Highlight the benefits
This point is somewhat related to the next. Instead of emphasizing the difficulties that may await the internet user in the next step, remind him of the benefits! It is often worth replacing “register” with “try it for free.” In turn, instead of “subscribe to the newsletter” you can again reach for 1 person. l. capacity and use the words “yes, I want to know more about …” or “I want to receive information about promotions”.

What else is worth remembering? A call to action alone won’t do the trick. It should also be enclosed with text that will encourage its implementation. It is worth mentioning the benefits and guarantees. It is also best to create the need to take this step immediately through the applied treatments. Sometimes it may be helpful to emphasize the success so far (eg “join thousands of satisfied customers”).

Not only the content is important – well-exposed Call To Action

Successful Call To Action must combine two aspects – the right content with the right form. Therefore, when you decide what text should be on the button or link, think about how to emphasize it so that it does not remain omitted. In this case, you can also define a certain set of rules, but remember that each situation must be approached individually.

A. Visibility
Your carefully crafted CTA may not be of much use if it is not visible enough. It is unacceptable for the user to scroll the whole page to get to the button. This applies to both websites and mailing campaigns. Ideally, the call to action should be at the top of the message so that it shows up to the user without having to scroll. This is especially important in the case of emails, because it is estimated that 8 out of 10 recipients do not delve into the content of marketing messages, reading them only to the so-called the break line, i.e. the place visible without scrolling the page.

It is worth taking care of visibility by using also color highlight and using a button of the appropriate size. The CTA should be in such a form that the user knows that it is a click. Remember to use the first person singular – it’s a treatment that can often help increase conversion. There should be enough space around the button to make it noticeable.

B. One offer – one CTA
Using multiple CTAs on a single page or promotional e-mail can only create unnecessary confusion. Your message should be clear so that the recipient does not have to think about what to choose and what to click. If he can’t make a decision right away, he won’t move on. Therefore, you should always use only one CTA. However, they can be placed in different places on the website or in the e-mail, so that the potential customer does not have to waste time looking for the button. In most cases, it is even a recommended solution.

C. Don’t extend
Remember that the CTA should be short and unambiguous. The most common requests are those with only 2 – 4 words. If you have more content to submit, place it above the button – Call To Action should only be about what awaits the user after proceeding. Usually, however, it is better to avoid hackneyed and overly general phrases (such as “check” or “click here”) that don’t say much.

D. Check Links!
Finally, a small but extremely important point – there is nothing worse than a CTA leading to an invalid or non-existent subpage. Therefore, always check the operation of the links before launching a website or sending marketing messages.

Effective Call To Action – How To Check It?

It’s important to keep an open mind to create effective calls to action. Even if you think that the applied treatment looks great and will certainly be effective, it may turn out otherwise in practice. Therefore, it is a good idea to prepare several CTA variants and monitor their effectiveness. How to do it? One of the easiest ways is to check your Click Through Rate (CTR). It tells you how many of those who saw the offer decided to click on the link in it. So if out of 100 people who visited the website (or out of 100 sent emails), 5 click on the link, the CTR will be 5%. Constant monitoring of this indicator can tell a lot about both the selection of Call To Action and the structure of the offer itself.